Luca's Hero
by Summer-Ramsay
Summary: A short story about Alois and Luca's relationship as children.


Author's Note:  
>This is just a story I threw together for fun. Please review and such!<p>

...

Luca had looked up to his big brother, Alois, all of his life. The boy had no recollection of his mother or father, but he always remembered his brother by his side ever since he could remember. Alois was the one there, holding his hair back when he was ill, and checking the dark corners for scary monsters before bed. He would help him get ready for the day, and make him laugh when he felt hopeless. Alois was his hero.

But the thing Luca had always loved most about his older brother was the stories he would tell. At night, the two would lay in their makeshift house, wrapped in hole filled blankets, and cuddle to fight off the cold. It wasn't often, but sometimes Luca simply couldn't rest, and Alois would lack the ability to sleep with his brother tossing and turning beside him.

Luca had loved how his brother would wrap him in his arms and cuddling him close with a smile, no matter how tired he was.

"Luca, would a story help you get to sleep?" Alois would ask before telling stories.

There were many, about knights protecting castles and saving princesses, and ones about dragons and fairies. Alois would always look at the ceiling as he spoke, remembering how their mother had told them when he was a kid. It was rare, but sometimes Alois would even make up stories for his brother based on what was going on with their lives, but Luca's favourite was always one Alois had made up about a rich boy who had no friends.

The story was about a boy named Francis who had everything he wanted in the world. He had money, and power, and all the food and women he could ever want. This part would always make Luca giggle, because well, he didn't understand the importance of women when he was still so young. Anyways, Francis had everything but the one thing he wanted: friendship. So one day the boy ventured out of his giant house, walking alone through the streets in search of someone who would talk to him, but because of his fancy clothes, most people looked away with fearful eyes. He was a kid no one liked, no matter how much he smiled, or tried to be accepted by the people.

One day Francis came up with an idea. Before leaving, he dressed like a poor merchant, and walked through the city streets. Still, no one wanted to be associated with him because they feared the unknown, and he was a stranger. He cut his hair, and changed his clothes once more, and still no one paid attention.

After many failed attempts, the boy returned home, walking onto the balcony of his house. It was lavish, and he hated it. He could look down on the city of the poor, normal people, for he had the power over them, and still, he hated it.

"What if I died," Francis asked himself as he stood on the balcony, "What if I left the world?"

He heard no response, and thus, he returned to the city the next day. He climbed on the top of a building, preparing to jump, and a woman grabbed his wrist to pull him back. Her smile was weak, and her hair was knotted. It seemed as if the girl had not showered in many days, and her clothes were dirty, ripped, and torn, and yet she smiled.

"Why would you jump off a building?" The girl asked.

"I don't want to live in a world where I am unwanted." The boy replied, looking down at the busy street below.

"Well, if you leave now, no one will know who you truly are," The girl held the boys arm, walking him away from the edge, "You are young, as am I. I know it may not seem like it in this twisted world, but life is truly a beautiful thing." She looked up at the boy, "You are wanted by someone, perhaps you just have yet to know who it is."

Before the story could ever properly end, Luca would fall asleep in his brother's warm arms, dreaming about the idea of being wanted someday. He loved his brother very much, for he made the feeling of loneliness disappear quite often, and unlike Francis, he had everything he wanted. He had a big brother who loved him, and had a lot of fun too, and although he had no parents and no money, he was happy.

Luca remembered this story as he walked up to Hannah, the demon who he would sell his soul to in order to make his brother and his own dream come true.

"Are you certain?" Hannah had asked for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

"Yes," Luca smiled, "I want my brother to be happy, and I know he will never be alone, for my brother is big and strong and he will be wanted one day just like Francis!"

Hannah looked at the boy questioningly, unaware of the creation of the character Francis by Luca's older brother.

That day, when Hannah ripped Luca's little, innocent soul from his body, he remembered that story once more, and how he remembered it ending. Hannah became aware of this story as well, smiling at herself once the deed was done, for she understood why Luca did as he did for his hero of a big brother.

…

It was many years since that fatal evening, and Alois could not sleep. The footsteps throughout the home were nearly silent, and Hannah would check in on the boy every once in awhile. She so wished to tell Alois the story that she had learned from Luca in hopes that it would aid Alois in his sleep, but she didn't dare in fear Alois would not accept the idea that she was aware of the story, for Alois was unpredictable.

"Claude?" Alois called out into the air, staring at his ceiling.

It didn't take long for the butler to come to the boy's side.

"Can I tell you a story?" Alois asked, still staring at the ceiling as though lost in thought.

Claude helped back a sigh and nodded, "If it will help you sleep, Your Highness."

Alois smiled softly at the man as Hannah peaked in through the doorway. "Once upon a time there was a very rich, but very sad boy named Francis…"


End file.
